Winter Commuting & Parking
Because U-M has so many students packed into such a small geographical area, parking can be difficult to find, and expensive when you find it. Like they say in the orientation video (at right), "there's no parking, really, there's not." Unless you really need to have a car on a frequent basis, it’s generally recommended not to bring a car to campus. The University’s partnership with Zipcar and GreenRide Connect provide alternative options for students who only need cars for occasional use. These options provide students with a low cost alternative, without all the parking headaches. However, if you do need your car on a frequent basis, you will want to plan for parking ahead of time. Most often, your options for parking depend upon where you live.
On-Campus Students:
If you are living in University-owned housing, such as a residence hall or Northwood Apartments, you are eligible to apply for one of the limited number of parking permits available through University Housing. University Housing lots are located at Northwood, Baits/Bursley, Fletcher, and Oxford. Each fall, University Housing holds a lottery for the parking permits to park in these lots. If any extra spaces are available, opportunities for parking may be extended to winter term students and priority will be given to students living in those halls. The parking passes cost around $158 annually. If you are interested in a parking pass at one of these locations, contact housing@umich.edu. You may also seek out "storage parking" options through the University's Logistics, Transportation and Parking Services (see below).
Off-Campus Students:
If you are living near campus in non-University owned housing (apartments, houses, co-ops, etc), or living within The Ride (Ann Arbor’s city buses) service zone, first check your lease to see if you have parking spaces included with your lease. If you do, be sure that you have the correct number of spaces for the number of cars. For example, it is common to have a 3-bedroom apartment that includes one parking space. If this is the case, you will need to work out a plan with your roommates for access to the parking space.
If your lease does not include parking, there are a few options. The University has a few “storage” parking lots available for students, however at this time there is a waiting list for permits. Visit the LTP website to get on the waitlist. While this option may not be helpful for winter term, be sure to keep it in mind for future terms.
Monthly parking permits may also be available through Ann Arbor's Downtown Development Authority, but again, most lots have waitlists. You will also find that some local landlords will rent out parking spots to non-tenants. For example, owners of large apartment complexes with adjacent parking lots will often rent out unfilled spots to students who do not live in the apartment building. Try calling your landlord to see if they have any open spots, or search online for “Ann Arbor parking space for rent.”
Finally, some students choose to simply park along the streets in the residential neighborhoods. Competition for these spaces is quite fierce, and there are some inherent difficulties with parking along the street -- such as strictly-enforced time/day limits, special parking rules when it snows, and of course the ability to parallel park in small spaces.
Commuter Students:
Many winter term students plan to commute to Ann Arbor for the term. "Commuters" are considered students who do not live within walking or bussing distance of campus, and will be driving a car into campus for classes. If this describes you, there are two different options for daily parking in Ann Arbor. The first option is to purchase a permit to park in the U-M Commuter Lots. These lots are located on the edges of campus (near the Crisler Center and Michigan Stadium on South Campus, and several lots on North Campus) and are serviced by the U-M blue buses. Permits are available for juniors and seniors only and cost around $78 for the year (the cost is pro-rated by month, so winter term students can expect to pay less). U-M blue buses are free and run every 7-10 minutes during the winter term.
The second option is to use The Ride's Park & Ride Lots. Parking in these lots is free and you can then ride the Ann Arbor buses to campus for free using your MCard. Using the Park & Ride lots do not require a permit and are open to students of all academic years.
Remember, if you plan to use the commuter lots keep in mind that these lots are not intended for overnight parking. They are intended for commuter daily parking only. Cars parked in these lots overnight are subject to towing.
Commuter students who expect to spend most of the day on campus can also look into the U-M's commuting options for staff members. The ExpressRide service runs from Chelsea and Canton during the work week. Although it is not advertised, students are eligible to use this service. The student rate is $125/month for a bus pass on the ExpressRide. Students can also participate in already-established University vanpools if spaces are available. Vanpool participation costs $119/month (plus tax and contributions to gas money for the vehicle). A list of current vanpool openings can be found online.
Of course, commuting students can also drive to campus and hunt for a highly-sought-after public parking space as well. Parking at area public parking spaces (street meters, public structures, and public flat-lots) ranges from $1.20/hour to $1.70/hour depending on the location and time of day. Keep in mind that some spaces have strictly enforced time limits, and Ann Arbor is notorious for its highly-efficient parking enforcement officers.
No matter what type of transportation you choose, commuter students should also plan appropriately for their expected travel time to Ann Arbor. If you have early morning classes, be advised that the rush-hour traffic into Ann Arbor is very congested, so be sure to plan extra time so you are not late for your classes! And it is rare that U-M cancels class due to snowy conditions, so plan a significant amount of winter driving conditions.
Need help figuring it all out? Email askatransferstudent@umich.edu. Good luck!